While she agreed with the outcome of the case, a human-trafficking victim called it “ridiculous” that her trafficker could be released from prison while she is still recovering.

The statement of the woman, whose identity is being withheld by The Macomb Daily, was read by a Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office victim advocate earlier this month at the circuit court sentencing for Jerry L. Thompson, 43, who pleaded no contest to operating a human-trafficking enterprise and three other lesser charges.

Thompson was sentenced to four to 10 years in prison in a sentencing agreement after the most severe charge, a life human-trafficking offense, was dismissed as part of a plea deal. An assistant prosecutor told the judge the woman agreed with the deals.

“To me it is ridiculous that he will have the possibility to walk out of the gates of prison while I am still recovering,” she said in her statement that was recited in court. “I have trauma that will never go away but there are ways to manage it. I have a long road ahead of me but I’m willing to do the work.”

She asked Judge Edward Servitto to “take into consideration I will be going through the recovery process after he is released.”

She said she has been attending three therapy sessions three times a week since May 2023, five months after the incident at a Warren motel.

The woman did not address her agreement with the plea. Servitto said she may have wished to avoid the trauma of going through a trial, where she would testify.

For Thompson, she said, “My prayers are that Jerry will get rehabilitation while incarcerated and finds a new way of life.”

“This is a pattern with Jerry and my biggest fear is he will do it again, without the proper care.”

The victim said she forgives Thompson “for me” even if he doesn’t regret his actions.

Servitto told Thompson: “You’re a lucky man that you have a victim in this case who is more than compassionate, more than understanding.”

Thompson has several prior convictions. He was sentenced in February 2020 Macomb Circuit Court to 19 months to 15 years in prison after he was convicted by plea of second-degree fleeing police, delivery or manfacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance, possession of less than 25 grams of a controlled substance and driving with a suspended license, for incidents in July 2019.

In January 2022, he was sentenced in Macomb Circuit Court to 18 months probation for possession of less than 25 grams each of cocaine and heroin in 2021 in Warren. He violated probation for which he was sentenced to 289 days in jail, time served.

He was charged with nine cases in Macomb Circuit Court between 2000 and 2007, records say.

In the most recent case, Thompson had a physical altercation with the woman on Dec. 11, 2022 in a room at the Motel 6 on Chicago Road, from where she fled crying and screaming, according to Macomb prosecutors. Thompson forced the victim into the back seat of a vehicle in the parking lot, officials said. Police located Thompson driving at 14 Mile and Schoenherr roads, where they attempted to stop him, but he fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed. Thompson forced the victim to ingest drugs and was located again in Detroit, according to authorities. He again sped away in a residential area, crashed the vehicle into a fence and ran, police reported.

The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries.

Thompson was arrested three days after the incident when he went to pick up the woman at a hospital. He received about 19 months off the four-year term for time he has behind bars in the case.

He also was sentenced to 3-⅓ to five years for fleeing and eluding police, one year for resisting arrest and 93 days for assault and battery.

Originally Published: July 23, 2024 at 3:31 p.m.